Identifying and supporting trafficked individuals: provider and community organization perspectives on existing...

Trafficked persons experience adverse health consequences and seek help, but many go unrecognized by health-care professionals. This study explored professionals' perspectives on current approaches toward identifying and supporting trafficked persons in health-care settings, highlighting current technology roles, gaps, and future directions.

We developed an interview guide to investigate current human trafficking (HT) approaches, safety procedures, and HT education. Semistructured interviews were conducted via Zoom, iteratively coded in Dedoose, and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

We interviewed 19 health-care and community group professionals and identified 3 themes: (1) participants described a responsibility to build trust with patients through compassionate communication, rapport, and trauma-informed approaches across different stages of care. (2) Technology played a dual role, as professionals navigated both benefits and challenges of tools such as Zoom, virtual interpreters, and cameras in trust building. (3) Safety and privacy concerns guided how participants documented patient encounters and shared community resources, ensuring confidentiality while supporting patient and community well-being.

Technology can both support and hinder trust in health care, directly affecting trafficked patients and their safety. Informatics can improve care for trafficked persons, but further research is needed on technology-based interventions. We provide recommendations to strengthen trust, enhance safety, support trauma-informed care, and promote safe documentation practices.

Effective sociotechnical approaches rely on trust, safety, and mindful documentation to support trafficked patients. Future research directions include refining the role of informatics in trauma-informed care to strengthen trust and mitigate unintended consequences.